Tag: DraftKings DFS

Daily Fantasy: The one Bengals player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

A new contract, a new season and a much bigger workload for Bengals’ bell cow Joe Mixon, the best Bengals’ bet for DFS in Week 1.

The 2020 NFL season is upon us and that means fantasy football is back as DraftKings and other platforms provide the ultimate opportunity for virtual success on Sunday. In Week 1, with a rookie at quarterback (Joe Burrow) and a star wideout returning from injury (AJ Green), the obvious choice to start in fantasy football this week is Joe Mixon.

Blessed with a new contract, Mixon is set for a breakout campaign as a running back and a solid Week 1 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers could be the springboard towards a huge season for the former Oklahoma Sooners star.

Mixon is a top-8 running back in DraftKings non-PPR rankings and he’s entering this season confident after averaging 17.4 PPR points per game during the final seven weeks of the 2019 season and after having at least 136 rushing yards in three of his final four outings, along with at least 3 catches per outing.

Such output means Mixon is taking the next step as a pass catcher and he should be Joe Burrow’s security blanket during a rookie season that’ll have some rough moments.

Mixon’s opponent, the Chargers’ defense and special teams, had some disappointing moments last season in part to playmaking safety Derwin James missing 11 games. James will now miss the entire 2020 NFL season, adding more stress on the backend. James would have been the perfect counter to Mixon for the Chargers in the box.

With the return of offensive tackle Jonah Williams (shoulder), look for Mixon to test the Chargers front seven early and often on Sunday.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Falcons player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Daily Fantasy: The one Falcons player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

The NFL season is here and it’s time to create your Week 1 DFS lineup on DraftKings. If you aren’t familiar with DraftKings or DFS football, it’s as simple as creating a one-week fantasy lineup with a $50,000 salary cap to win cash prizes.

Today, we are looking at the one Atlanta Falcons’ player you must fit into your DFS lineup this week:

TE Hayden Hurst ($4,300) vs. Seattle Seahawks

While players like Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are almost always great plays in DFS, they are each among the most expensive players at their position. Even Calvin Ridley ($6,100) has a higher price tag than expected in Week 1.

However, one of the best values on the board is tight end Hayden Hurst at a moderate $4,300. After losing Austin Hooper in free agency, the Falcons traded a second-round pick for Hurst and he is now their starter at tight end. While Hurst was never a full-time option in Baltimore, he did show flashes of ability as a receiver.

Luckily for him, he is in a great offense surrounded by a bunch of talent. And in his first game with the Falcons, he will see a Seahawks’ defense that allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends last season. Seattle did add Jamal Adams this offseason, but he’s never been known to shut down opposing tight ends. Instead, expect most of his work to be done at the line of scrimmage.

Expect a modest game out of Hurst, but look for him to get a few looks in the red zone. If he can score or produce more than 50 yards in the passing game, he will easily outproduce his DraftKings price.

Daily Fantasy: The one Giants player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Here’s a savvy play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ combination of cornerbacks could prove dangerous for quarterback Daniel Jones. He won’t want to throw at cornerbacks Joe Haden, an established veteran, or Steven Nelson, an underrated performer and probably the team’s top player at the position. But it’s likely the Giants will fall behind — and that means they’ll throw the ball.

So the one New York player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings is tight end Evan Engram, who is the eighth-ranked tight end with a salary of $5,200. He’s the best Daily Fantasy play on a New York team that will probably struggle in Week 1 under new coach, Joe Judge. Though the team will struggle as whole, Engram will not.

He is one of the more talented tight ends in the NFL — it’s just that he hasn’t been healthy for much of his career. In 2019, he suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury, but seemed to be dealing with no ill effects during training camp. Even so, Engram finished with 44 receptions, 467 receiving yards and three touchdowns in eight games last year. It would’ve made him one of the NFL’s most productive tight ends, if he had doubled those stats over 16 games.

It’s likely that Engram is going to see plenty of targets with the receiving corps tied up by the cornerbacks. It’s possible that receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton get bottled up. In turn, it’s likely that Daniel Jones doesn’t have a fantastic day throwing. Running back Saquon Barkley, meanwhile, comes in with a tremendously costly salary of $8,500. Engram is the less-obvious but high-potential for the Giants in Week 1.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Rams player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

There’s one Rams player that you need to start in DraftKings in Week 1.

The one Los Angeles Rams player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings is WR Van Jefferson.

Just a few seasons ago the Los Angeles Rams were on the brink of a championship, playing against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. After a disappointing 9-7 campaign in 2019, Los Angeles is hoping they have the pieces for a bounce-back year in 2020. Some of that success could come on the backs of unheralded players like Van Jefferson. 

The top two receivers in the Rams’ offense are set with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, but who will be No. 3 wideout? The battle is between incumbent receiver Josh Reynolds and Jefferson. Many believe that Jefferson has done enough in training camp to earn that job. Star defenders like Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald have both spoken highly of him. Donald said that he’d, “definitely make an impact in the league right away.”

Jefferson has earned that respect too, making plays during training camp with his impressive route-running.

His fantasy projections are admittedly meager, but the upside here is big, even in Week 1 against a solid Dallas Cowboys secondary. Without any preseason tape to go off of, consider the fact that Jefferson is a player who put up four receptions and a touchdown against LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr., the top defensive back in college football last season. 

At $3,000, save your money for the stars and roll the dice on Jefferson. He could be a sneaky boom-or-bust play in the flex for DFS in Week 1.

Daily Fantasy: The one Jaguars player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Jaguars running back Chris Thompson could be a daily fantasy sports sleeper in Week 1.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. The game will feature several intriguing daily fantasy sports options.

For the Jaguars, Gardner Minshew II has a low cap hit of $5,800 in DraftKings’ daily fantasy salary cap challenge (roster limit: $50,000). Minshew is cheaper than 20 other QBs, making him an interesting option after he had several strong fantasy performances last season.

Minshew is a risky play, though, because the Colts’ secondary forced 15 interceptions last season, the seventh-highest total in the NFL.

Jacksonville running back Chris Thompson might be the team’s best value in DFS this week. Thompson has a very low cap hit ($4,000) on DraftKings and he could be a sleeper against Indianapolis in Week 1.

Thompson is listed as the third-string running back on the Jaguars’ depth chart but he will likely serve as the team’s top receiving back this year. The Colts are considered 7.5-point favorites against Jacksonville and the Jags will have to throw often if Indianapolis builds a lead early in the game.

A pass-heavy attack would mean more action for Thompson, who caught 42 passes for 378 yards last season. Granted, Thompson’s yards per catch average wasn’t great last year, but he has good value in PPR formats for his catches alone.

Thompson has totaled at least 35 receptions in each of the last five seasons, totaling 1,772 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his career. He has also rushed for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns.

Thompson probably won’t be the lead back in the Jaguars’ offense but his receiving skills make him an intriguing RB for daily fantasy sports.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Browns player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

The Browns committed dollars and draft picks to players to help their running game. Expect Nick Chubb to be the benefactor of that in Week 1.

The 2020 NFL season is upon and the Cleveland Browns will open up against a familiar foe in what should be a physical AFC North confrontation against the Baltimore Ravens.

With the fantasy football season in full swing, this opening week matchup presents some challenges in deciding what one player on Cleveland’s roster to hitch your wagon to in Week 1 on the road in Baltimore.

The Browns — led by Chubb’s 1,494 rushing yards — averaged nearly 119 rushing yards per game last season, the 12th-highest mark in the league. And that was with mediocre-at-best play from their tackles. During the offseason, former Eagles executive and new Browns GM, Andrew Berry, addressed that issue. He signed former All-Pro tackle in Jack Conklin in March, then drafted Alabama product Jedrick Wills Jr. at No. 10 overall to help establish a culture of dominance in the trenches. With that goal set in stone, Chubb has to be your fantasy player this week.

Kareem Hunt got a new contract, but Chubb is the engine that’ll make the Browns offensive train move and he’s already feasted on the Ravens, battering Baltimore to the tune of 183 total yards and three touchdowns in a Week 4 meeting on the road.

With the pandemic impacting offseason work and OTAs, the one thing the Browns will be able to do once they step off the bus is run the ball and look for Chubb to get the bulk of the carries early on and often.

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Daily Fantasy: The one Washington player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Is DraftKings sleeping on this running back? (Hint: Yes.)

There might be a sneaky solid play on the Washington Football Team in Week 1, as it faces the Philadelphia Eagles. Because Washington looks so depleted, there may only be one smart play: running back Antonio Gibson, who is sitting deep down the board at his position with a $4,000 salary.

It looks like the team wants to highlight the rookie, a Memphis product and a third-round draft choice, after cutting Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice. Gibson only has Bryce Love and Peyton Barber as a source of competition.

Though Gibson is converting from receiver at Memphis, he’s going to play for coach Ron Rivera, who engineered Christian McCaffrey’s success as both a pass-catcher and a runner. If Rivera can manage just a fraction of that success with Gibson, he’ll have an outstanding season in 2020.

The rest of the offense might be due for a tough season opener — and likely a tough season. Receiver Terry McLaurin put together a very respectable rookie season, with 58 catches, 919 yards and seven touchdowns. But he’s sure to get increased attention in Week 1, and though the Eagles secondary has long been a bunch of slouches for years, they acquired cornerback Darius Slay in 2020. He could erase — or at least limit — McLaurin during the season opener. If McLaurin struggles, then it’s easy to imagine the rest of the passing offense doing the same, with quarterback Dwayne Haskins and company having difficulty moving the ball.

So the team may need a big game from Gibson, both as a runner and a check-down option in Week 1.

Daily Fantasy: The one Panthers player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

Daily Fantasy: The one Panthers player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

The NFL season is here and it’s time to create your Week 1 DFS lineup on DraftKings. If you aren’t familiar with DraftKings or DFS football, it’s as simple as creating a one-week fantasy lineup with a $50,000 salary cap to win cash prizes.

Today, we are looking at the one Carolina Panther you must fit into your DFS lineup this week:

QB Teddy Bridgewater ($5,900) vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Usually, it isn’t a smart idea to play a quarterback on a new team as it typically takes a few weeks for them to get adjusted to the new offense. However, Teddy Bridgewater might just be the best quarterback in Week 1 given the circumstances.

Bridgewater is currently one of the cheapest starting quarterbacks in Week 1 of DFS with a price tag of only $5,900. While we don’t have a full season of stats and data to look back on for Bridgewater, he was effective when he played last season with the Saints.

In his five full starts last season, Bridgewater scored 17.72 DK points per game. But under new offensive coordinator Joe Brady, expect his pass attempts to skyrocket this season. It also doesn’t hurt that Carolina faces a Raiders’ defense that allowed over 256 passing yards per game last season and has several new pieces on the front seven.

With the Raiders not really having anyone who can cover D.J. Moore from the slot or Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield, Bridgewater should have a field day. While he isn’t likely to produce much with his legs, the former first-round pick should come close to 300 passing yards and two or more touchdowns.

Consider stacking Bridgewater with Moore for QB-WR combo with a ton of upside in Week 1.

Daily Fantasy: The one 49ers player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

There’s one 49ers player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings.

The one San Francisco 49ers player that your need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings is RB Raheem Mostert.

The 49ers are going with a three-headed monster at the running back position, leaning on Tevin Coleman, Jerrick McKinnon and Raheem Mostert. Typically, fantasy experts would tell you to avoid a backfield like this at all costs, but with this specific group, it’s pretty easy to discern what’s going to happen. San Francisco doesn’t technically have a player considered the starter among these three, but someone will inevitably be listed as the starter on the depth chart. Our own Kyle Madson anticipates that Coleman will get the starting job, but he’ll yield most of the touches to Mostert.

In 2019, Mostert didn’t get his first carry until Week 4 of the 2020 season, but by the end of the regular season, he’d racked up 11 total touchdowns and averaged 58.3 yards per game. They’re not going to make the mistake of failing to utilize this weapon again, especially after they signed him to a new deal.

San Francisco averaged just 237 passing yards per game in 2019, but they were No. 2 in the league in average rushing yards per game at 153.5. They’ll face an Arizona Cardinals defense in Week 1 which allowed on average 120 rushing yards per game to opponents in 2019.

At $5,800, Mostert falls just outside of the top 20 running backs in terms of cost in DraftKings during Week 1. I’d wager that he has a good chance to get off to a hot start against a Cardinals defense that ranked in the bottom of the league in rushing yards allowed last season.

Daily Fantasy: The one Cowboys player you need to start in Week 1 on DraftKings

This Cowboy is going to blow up in Week 1.

Dak Prescott won’t be a bargain play in Week 1, but he’s the one Dallas Cowboys player you need to start on DraftKings. Even as QB3 with a salary of $6,900, Prescott should come out firing in a high-scoring contest against the Los Angeles Rams.

Surely, Mike McCarthy will want to show off the work he’s done with Kellen Moore this offseason. Moore was one of the more promising offensive coordinators in 2020 before Jason Garrett sunk the Cowboys season. With new leadership, it seems Prescott is due for a huge season. It doesn’t hurt that the Cowboys will have receivers Amari Coopers and Michael Gallup returning alongside running back Ezekiel Elliott. To add to that embarrassment of riches, the Cowboys drafted Ceedee Lamb, arguably the best receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, at 17th overall. He was simply too talented for them to pass, even when they didn’t need another receiver. And perhaps Dallas has a breakout candidate at tight end in Blake Jarwin.

This all adds up to a huge season for Prescott and an impressive Week 1 for him. The Rams defense isn’t a bunch of pushovers, however. Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill are good players. And, of course, defensive tackle Aaron Donald is one of the best players in the NFL. But L.A. doesn’t seem to have the depth that they’ll need to stop a group of skill players as well-rounded as the one Dallas has.

Start Prescott in the your Daily Fantasy and DraftKings rosters for Week 1 and enjoy the show.

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